Means and method of grouting



Nov. 12, 1946 TROIEL 2,411,011

MEANS AND METHOD OF GROUTING Filed Jan. 26, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 7 i i 7 5 a l5 43 la 2 Z as c/ l f INVENTOR. ARTHUR E. TRO /EL A TTORNEK Nov. 12, 1946. A. E. TROIEL 2,411,011

MEANS AND METHOD OF GROU'I'ING Filed Jan. 26, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet'2 \L "I. IWWIIIIALIIIIIII A) n I" FEE-1T INVENTOR. ARTHUR E. TRO/EL ATTORNEY Nov. 12, 1946. A. E. TROIEL MEANS AND METHOD OF GROUTING Filed Jan. 26, 1942 3 Shegts-Sheet 5 INVEN ARTHUR E. THO/EL A TTORNEK' Patented Nov. 12, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS AND METHOD OF GROUTING Arthur E. Troiel, Berkeley, Calif;

Application January 26, 1942, Serial N 0. 428,148

Claims.

My invention relates to means and method of grouting spaces developing between adjacent walls of large concerete structures by their shrinkage, and more particularly comprises an improvement upon the subject matter of my patent for Method of grouting, No. 1,628,933, of May 17, 1927.

1 Large concrete structures, such as dams or the like, are according to present practice, constructed in units. Alternate units each extending the complete thickness of the dam, are first poured, and when sufficiently solidified, intermediate units are then poured. The units are formed with side walls of irregular outline to bring about an interlocking of the units in the finished structure.

To accomplish the filling in of the space developing between any two adjacent units upon shrinkage of the same, a system of piping is built into the structure between such units during the construction of such structure, such piping being so designed as to open into the inter-unit spacings and thereby enable liquid concrete, which: is poured into the piping, to flow between these units and fill in the spacing therebetween. Preferably at various elevations, the vertical pipes between such units are interconnected by horizontal pipes, to assure complete filling of the spacings between these units.

In accordance with. the teachings of my earlier patent above referred to, the pipes are formed of longitudinal half pipe sections, with longitudinal, laterally extending flanges and integrally formed anchoring rims. The two half pipe sections are loosely held together by means of loops of wire through the lateral flanges, with the free ends thereof twisted together.

My invention serves to improve upon the system of my earlier patent, not only in the matter of facilitating the assembling of the grout pipes, but in many other respects. For one thing, itis an object to provide an assembled pipe system in which the half pipe sections shall be held in close contact during the pouring of the concrete units, while at the same timeoffering little resistance to the separation of such half pipe sections upon shrinkage of the concrete units, whereby to assure open communication between the inside of the pipes and the spacing developed between the concrete units.

A further purpose of my invention is to provide horizontal pipe elements formed of half pipe sections permanently locked together,

Another purpose of my invention is to provide pro-fabricated assemblies adapted for installa- 2 tion into a grouting system to facilitate the build ing thereof.

A further object of my invention resides in the method of installing the grouting system to preclude clogging of pipes during pouring of concrete units.

Additional objects of ,my' invention will be brought out in the following description of the same taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings whereinv Figure 1 is a fragmentary View, in perspective, of a dam showing a portion of. a grouting. system installation embodying the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a View, in section, along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, with a pro-assembled section of the system shown in disassembled relationship to the system.

Figures 3 and 4 are complementary half pipe sections, from which the vertical grout pipes are fabricated.

Figures 5A to 51), inclusive, are views in section, illustrating. the manner of assembling the half pipe sections in the fabrication of the vertical grout pipes, and the manner in which they function.

Figure 6 is a view depicting an expansible plug utilized in the installation of the grout system in a concrete structure.

Figures 7 and 8 .are perspective views of fixtures utilized in the building of a grout system.

' Referring to the drawings for a complete and detailed description of the features of my invention, Figure 1 shows an outline of an incomplete portion of a dam structure I, looking at the irregular side wall of a unit. Such irregular wall involves a number of spaced bays 3 and columns 5 for interlocking. with. an adjacent unit, to be subsequently poured. The portion of the grouting system illustrated therein comprises a plurality of vertical pipes 7 extending up the bay walls 9 and column walls ll. The column wall pipes are interconnected at various levels by horizontal pipes I3; and communication fittings I5 serve to join the bay wall pipes to the horizontal pipes of the system, thereby eiiecting communication to all points in the grouting network between concrete units, from any one pipe.

The vertical pipes are designed to providecommunication with the spacing. between concrete units upon shrinkage of such units, and to this end,are formed of half pipe sections Il and I9,

preferably of semi-cylindrical contour. 7 Each half pipe section is formed with longitud a laterally extending flanges 2i which are bent back at an angle along an intermediate line thereon to provide anchoring rims 23. At spaced intervals along each of the flanges of one of the half pipe sections IS, the flange is provided with U- notches, leaving a laterally directed tab 25 at each such interval in the plane of the flange. At corresponding points along the flanges of the other half pipe section l1, tabs 21 are struck therefrom, directed toward the semi-cylindrical portion of the half section.

The assembling of the two half sections takes place as follows: Prior to the pouring of a concrete unit, one of the half sections I1 is attached at the proper location, to the inside surface of one of the walls 29 of a form, and the concrete is then poured into this form and fills in around this half pipe section and its anchoring rims 23.

To properly position and center the half pipe section in question, I have found it very convenient to provide a half round wood mold 3| (Figure 5A) on the inside surface of the .form Wall 29, of a size which will just about fill the half section, and nail the half pipe section thereto. A specially designed aifixing means is provided for this purpose. It comprises a small plate 33 having one edge curved to fit the curvature of the half pipe section. The plate is punched to provide a pair of aligned offset openings 35 to receive a suitable nail 31. After the concrete has hardened sufliciently to retain itself and hold the half pipe section firmly anchored therein, the form is removed, and the exposed nail points are snipped off. The other half section IQ of the pipe is then attached to that half section l1 which has already been fixed to the wall of the first unit. To accomplish this, the struck tabs 21 are bent outwardly (Figure 5B) to a position normal to the flange from which they are struck, and the remaining half section of pipe is applied into position with the bent-up tabs extending through the U-slots, following which, the protruding tabs are creased over against the tabs 25 (Figure 5C). In this manner the two sections of the vertical pipe are securely held in close contact and in position for the pouring of the adjacent unit.

At this point, it is of importance to note that while the locking means just described permits of positive holding of the two half sections of the pipe together and in close contact, it, desirably,

does not oifer a great deal of resistance to the separation of the half pipe sections during shrinkage of the adjacent concrete units to which the half pipe sections are held, and this is so, by reason of the fact that the tabs 25 will readily bend out of the plane of the flanges in which they lie, and accordingly reduce the resistance to separation of the half pipe sections. Through such separation, communication with the spacing between adjacent units of the concrete structure, is established throughout the complete length of the vertical pipe. In a sense, therefore, the interlocking tab structure may be said to weakly hold the two half pipe sections in positive engagement when assembled.

As the dam structure rises in height and it becomes desirable to provide horizontal pipe connections between these vertical pipes supported on the columns 5, I insert at those points in the building up of the vertical pipes, a T, L or fitting, indicated by reference numerals 38, 4| and 43 respectively, of Figure 1, depending on the location of the vertical pipe in any group, and join to these horizontal pipes, the remaining vertical pipes, through the use of the special communication fittings I5.

. ,between the fixture flanges 41.

The fittings, whether of T, L or type, except for their shape, are somewhat similar in construction and are formed of half pipe sections 45, each provided with laterally extending flanges 41. Further description will be with reference to the fixture of Figure '1.

A permanent locking of the two half sections is effected by the manner in which the pipes are joined to the fixture. With respect to a vertical pipe 1, the end thereof is positioned into one end of the fixture, with its lateral flanges 2| The extent to which these vertical pipes may be inserted into the fitting openings may, if desired, be predetermined by rolling a groove into each vertical end of the fitting at a properly spaced distance. Following the positioning of the vertical pipe in the manner indicated, the anchoring rims 23 may be snipped with a pair of shears, and

. crimped over the flanges of the fitting to hold components of the fitting together. By then center punching the crimped portions, the vertical pipe is conveniently restrained from sliding or shifting in the fitting.

Where space exists, as at the corner 49 in the L type fitting 4|, a portion of the flange of one half section may be crimped to receive the adjacent portion of the flange of the other half section at the time of assembly.

The horizontal pipes are attached in much the same manner as the vertical pipes, but inasmuch as they differ structurally from the vertical pipes, they will be described before indicating in detail the manner of attaching the same to the fittings.

While the horizontal pipe structure might be the same throughout the grouting-system, I have found it convenient and more economical in time and labor to pre-assemble certain portions of the horizontal piping into assembled units, and install them as such. A unit 5| of this character is illustrated in Figure 2 and. includes a complete pipe portion 53 formed of two half sections 55 and 51, and of a length adapted to reach across a bay, a communicating fixture [5 as illustrated in detail in Figure 8, and half pipe extensions 59 at either end adapted to be locked to complementary half pipe sections 6| which have previously been anchored to the face of a column. The half pipe section 55 is formed with a lateral flange 63 (Figure 8), while the other, 51, is formed with a lateral flange 65 which has been crimped to receive the other. These half pipe sections may be assembled by sliding one over the other.

The horizontal half pipe sections 6| to which the unit assemblies are attached, are formed with lateral flanges 61 (Figure 7) and an integral anchoring rim 69 along each flange. Each anchoring rim, however, is crimped and provided with an overhanging edge which is cut to form a plurality of deformable locking tabs 1|. The extending half pipe sections 59 of the unit assembly 5| are applied to the anchored half pipe sections 6| and locked thereto by turning the locking tabs 1| down against the flanges 65.

The end of the pipe so formed is fixed between the halves of the fixture 43 and held therein by bending the adjacent locking tabs 1| over a flange of the fixture, and then center punching the same, if found desirable.

The communication fixture is illustrated in detail in Figure 8 as comprising a vertical T 13' and a horizontal T 15, with the stem 11 of the vertical T telescoping the stem 19 of the hori- 'zontal T. Each T includes a pair of half T sections 8! reinforced with integral gussets 33, and fitted together by pro-crimping the edge of the gussets of one half T section to receive the gussets of the other half T section. By center punching the interfltting edges of the gussets, the assembled half T sections may be secured together against displacement. An external bead 85 rolled in the stem of the vertical T serves as a stop in assembling the two Ts to form the communication fixture 5. This fixture is embodied into the grouting system by fitting the cross bar portion of the vertical T to a vertical pipe in much the same manner as the fitting previously described, and fitting the cross bar of the horizontal T to the horizontal pipe 53, as one would a half pipe section 55.

A feature of my invention, aside from the assembling of the pipe components, resides in the method of maintaining such pipes clean and free of concrete during the pouring of the concrete units. In the absence of any precaution, such concrete might have a tendency to seep between the flanges 2i and into the vertical pipes l. I effectively preclude such possibility of infiltration of material, by inserting a plug in the form of a rather heavy piece of rubber tubing 81, closed and tapered at one end, into that section of a vertical pipe against which the concrete is to be poured, and pump this tubing up to fill the interior of the pipe as indicated in Figure 5C. To do this, I mount a valve 89, such as a bicycle valve, in the open end of the plug, to which a :pump may conveniently be attached for the purpose. Following pouring and setting of the concrete about the pipe, the plug may be deflated to facilitate withdrawal of the same. The valve 89 or any suitable collar or handle may be relied on to prevent the plug from settling down into a pipe, when inserted therein.

It 'will be apparent from the above, that I have provided an improved grouting system and method which fulfills the objects of my invention as previously set forth. Whil I have described the same in detail, the invention may be susceptible to changes and alterations, without departing from the principles involved. I accordingly do not desire to be limited in my protection to the details disclosed, except as may be deemed necessary by the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A grouting system including vertical pipes, each of said pipes comprising a pair of longitudinal half pipe sections, having a laterally extending flange along each edge thereof, and means for weakly holding said half pipe sections in a pipe forming assembly comprising a plurality of interlocking tabs, certain of said tabs being integral with one of said half pipe sections while the others are integral with the other half pipe section.

2. A grouting system including vertical pipes, each pipe comprising a pair of longitudinal half pipe sections, one of said half pipe sections having a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally directed tabs associated therewith, while said other half pipe section has a plurality of correspondingly located tabs, bent over adjacent tabs of the first half pipe section in interlocking association with each other to weakly hold said half pipe sections in pipe forming assembly.

3. A grouting system including vertical pipes, each pipe comprising a pair of longitudinal half pipe sections, one of said half pipe sections having a laterally extending flange along each edge thereof, each of said flanges being angularly bent along an intermediate longitudinal line thereof to form an anchoring rim, said other longitudinal half pipe section having similar laterally extending flanges and angularly bent anchoring rims, and means holding said pipe sections together with their laterally extending flanges in substantial contact, comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced slotted openings through the laterally extending fianges of one of said half pipe sections, and a plurality of correspondingly located tabs on the laterally extending flanges of the other half pipe section, each of said tabs passing through a slotted opening in the opposing laterally extending flange and locking therewith.

4. A grouting system including vertical pipes, each pipe comprising a pair of longitudinal half pipe sections, one of said half pipe sections having a laterally extending flange along each edge thereof, said other longitudinal half pipe section having similar laterally extending flanges, and means holding said pipe sections together with their laterally extending flanges in substantial contact, comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally directed tabs lying substantially in the plane of the laterally extending flanges of one of said half pipe sections, and a plurality of correspondingly located tabs on the laterally extending flanges of the other half pipe section, each of said latter tabs passing through the opposing laterally extending flange and engaging the adjacent tab therein.

5. A grouting system including vertical pipes,

each pipe comprising a pair of longitudinal half pipe sections, one of said half pipe sections having a laterally extending flange along each edge thereof, each of said flanges being angularly bent along an intermediate longitudinal line thereof to form an anchoring rim, said other longitudinal half pipe section having similar laterally extending flanges and angularly bent anchoring rims, and means holding said pipe sections to ether with their laterally extending flanges in substantial contact, comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally directed tabs. lying substantially in the plane of the laterally extending flanges of one of said half pipe sections, and a plurality of correspondingly located tabs on the laterally extending flanges of the other half pipe section, each of said latter tabs passing through the opposing laterally extending flange and engaging the adjacent tab therein.

ARTHUR E. TROIEL. 

